Single component transceiver device for linear fiber optical network

Abstract

A single component transceiver device for a linear single fiber optical network which allows both reception and transmission of light information onto a linear data line. One embodiment discloses a light source 10 which would apply modulated light signals, or an unmodulated light carrier, onto an optical medium at the end 12 thereof. This light would reach point 14 along the optical fiber and be detected and/or further modulated by diode 16 and this light information is introduced unidirectionally onto the optical fiber. A second embodiment would include a diode 52 along an optical fiber which would detect and/or radiate light signals bidirectionally along an optical fiber. A proposed light transceiver 90 which could be utilized with the above two embodiments is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical fiber data transmission system including a modulated light source (10) for introducing a modulated or unmodulated carrier beam of light into said optical fiber (12) wherein the improvement is characterized by: diode means (16) inserted along said optical fiber for detecting the modulated light on said optical fiber or further modulating said light on said optical fiber depending on the applied bias voltage to said diode means, wherein for detection of light by said diode means a constant back-bias voltage sufficient to provide a useful detected signal would be applied, and for modulation of a carrier beam of light the back-bias voltage is modulated so as to shift the absorption edge of the diode means back and forth across the wavelength of the light source (10), said diode means comprising a first thick layer (92) of p-type gallium arsenide, a second thin layer (94) of p-type gallium aluminum arsenide, a third thin layer (96) of p-type gallium arsenide, a fourth thin layer (98) of n-type gallium aluminum arsenide, and a fifth thick layer (100) of n-type gallium arsenide, and further including a cylindrical region (102) through said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth layers of higher refractive index inside said cylindrical region than outside said region so as to provide a light waveguide channel through the diode means.   
     
     
       2. A diode type (90) transceiver wherein the improvement is characterized by: a first thick layer (92) of p-type gallium arsenide,   a second thin layer (94) of p-type gallium aluminum arsenide,   a third thin layer (96) of p-type gallium arsenide,   a fourth thin layer (98) of n-type gallium aluminum arsenide,   a fifth thick layer (100) of n-type gallium arsenide, and   a cylindrical region (102) through said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth layers of higher refractive index inside said cylindrical region than outside said region so as to provide a light waveguide channel through the transceiver.   
     
     
       3. The diode type transceiver as set forth in claim 2 wherein the cylindrical region (102) thereof is the same approximate diameter as the cores of input and output optical fibers applied thereto in an optical fiber data transmission system. 
     
     
       4. The diode type transceiver as set forth in claim 3 wherein said cylindrical region (102) is formed during fabrication of the transceiver by masked diffusion of zinc into the p-type areas of the transceiver and sulphur into the n-type areas of the transceiver. 
     
     
       5. An optical fiber data transmission system including diode means (52) inserted along said optical fiber (50), each said diode means comprising an epitaxial structure double-heterostructure gallium arsenide device, wherein the improvement is characterized by: said diode means being inserted along said optical fiber for detection of light on said optical fiber from either direction and for introducing light signals generated thereby in both directions in said fiber, wherein for detection of light on said optical fiber by said diode means a constant back-bias voltage sufficient to provide a useful detected signal would be applied, and for radiation of the light signals onto said optical fiber a modulated forward bias voltage is applied so as to inject a modulated light signal bi-directionally onto said optical fiber, said diode means comprising a first thick layer (92) of p-type gallium arsenide, a second thin layer (94) of p-type gallium aluminum arsenide, a third thin layer (96) of p-type gallium arsenide, a fourth thin layer (98) of n-type gallium aluminum arsenide, and a fifth thick layer (100) of n-type gallium arsenide, said diode means further including a cylindrical region (102) through said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth layers of higher refractive index inside said cylindrical region than outside said region so as to provide a light waveguide channel through the diode means.